Carrying device for containers



March 11, 1958 R, c, TAYLOR 2,826,298

CARRYING DEVICE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 30, 1955 INVENTOR.

RUSSELL C. TAYLOR 4%, eww

ATTORNEYS United States Patent CARRYING DEVICE FOR CONTAINERS Russell C. Taylor, Greenwich, Conn., assignor to American Can (Zompany, New York, N.v Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 30, 1955, Serial No. 549,957

Claims. (Cl; 206-65) The present invention relates generally to devices for carrying a plurality of containers and the like in juxtaposed relation as a unitary package and has particular reference to a tab-like device carried on the containers.

An object of the instant invention is the provision of a container carrying device which may be made as a part of the container and which may be united with a like device on another container to join the containers together and serve as a handle for carrying both containers as a. unitary package.

Another object is the provision of such a carrying device which is economical in material and which is of a construction which makes it easy to handle and easy to attach to or form as a part of a container.

Another object is the provision of such a carrying device which may be folded down on the top of a container to permit of vertical stacking of the unitary packages one on top of the other.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will -be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a pair of containers arranged in juxtaposed relation and tied together for carrying as a unitary package by a carrying device embodying the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the containers shown in Fig. 1, the view illustrating a carrying tab secured to the container in a predetermined relation;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the carrying tab in a different position as a incident preparatory to producing a unitary package;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, illustrating the relation of the tabs on two containers arranged in juxtaposed relation preparatory to being connected as a unitary package; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating how the tabs of the two containers are united to tie the juxtaposed containers together.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention the drawings illustrate a carrying device A (Fig. 1) for carrying a pair of fibre milk containers B disposed in juxtaposed relation. The containers B preferably are of the character disclosed in United Stam Patent 2,085,979 issued July 6, 1937, to John M. Hothersell on Container.

Such a container comprises a rectangular body C hav- 2,826,298 Patented Mar. 11, 1958 in Fig. l, with the ledges G adjacent these side walls in substantially coincident relation.

The carrying device A preferably comprises a pair of connected tabs 11 which preferably are attached to the containers B but which also may be formed as a part of the containers if desired. Each container B carries at least one tab 11. These tabs 11 preferably are made of heavy fibre paper or cardboard although they may be made of other materials such as cloth, metal or plastic or a combination of these materials.

Each tab 11 preferably is in the form of an elongated rectangular tape as shown in Fig. 3, having a rectangular lower or fixed portion 12 which is located on the side seam side of a container B with a longitudinal edge 13 of the tab disposed in abutting relation with the outer exposed or stepped edge or shoulder of the lap side seam D of the container body C to provide for accurate location of the tab. This lower or fixed portion 12 of the tab preferably is secured in place against or attached to the side of the container body C with a suitable adhesive 14 (Fig. 4).

Above the fixed portion 12, the tab 11 is formed with a handle portion 15 which extends as a free end above the top of the container B as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This handle portion 15 preferably is an integral extension of the lower or fixed portion 12 of the tab and is of the same general rectangular shape with the exception of a longitudinal edge 17 which is a continuation of the edge 13 of the fixed portion of the tab. The edge 17 preferably flares or diverges upwardly and outwardly so that the handle portion 15 at its upper terminal edge is wider than its width at the junction of the edges 13, 17.

Hence when two containers B are placed in juxtaposed relation as shown in Fig. l with their side seam sides in contiguous relation as in Fig. 4, the handle portions 15 of the tabs 11 are disposed in laterally offset relation as shown in Fig. 4 so as to widen the handle resulting from this disposition of the handle portions. Their marginal edge portions adjacent the tapered edges 17, however, are in overlapping relation to provide transverse continuity of the handle portions and to facilitate securing them together.

While these handle portions 15 are in this partially overlapped position, their upper terminal marginal edge portions preferably are pressed together and collectively folded over back on themselves transversely of the tabs as shown in Fig. 5 to form a triple layer (six layer along the tapered edges 17) interfol-ded seam or joint 21 (Fig. 1) to unite or tie together the free ends of the tabs 11 to produce the unitary handle A which may be readily gripped and utilized to carry the two containers B as a unitary package. The layers of the joint 21 preferably are secured together permanently by a suitable adhesive interposed between the interfolded layers or by a staple 22 (Fig. 1) or other suitable securing means. For convenience in initially locating and attaching the tabs 11 to the containers B, they may be folded transversely in half as shown in Fig. 2, if desired.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a pref-erred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. The combination of a plurality of rectangular containers arranged as a unit group in juxtaposed substantially contiguous relation, a foldable tab adhesively secured to a side wall of and extending above each of said containers and terminating in a free end, and means securing together the free ends of said tabs to constitute a unitary handle for tying the containers together in a unitary carrying package.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the free terminal ends of said tabs are interfolded to secure the same together as a unitary carrying handle.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said containers are provided with lapped side seams having a stepped outer edge and wherein the adhesively secured portion of said tab includes an edge abutting against the stepped edge of said side seam to facilitate location of said tab in a predetermined position on said container.

4. A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said tabs are each provided with a fixed portion extending below the tops of said containers and an integral foldable free portion extending above the tops of said containers and wherein said free portions are each provided with a diverging marginal edge overlapping upon the free portion of a similar tab on an adjacently disposed con tainer to facilitate securing said free tab portions together.

5. The combination of a plurality of containers arranged in juxtaposed relation, a tab carried on each of said containers and extending above said containers and terminating in a free end, and means securing together the free ends of said tabs to produce a unitary handle for tying said containers together for carrying as a unitary package, said tabs on adjacent containers being disposed in laterally offset relation to widen the handle portion produced therefrom, the adjacent longitudinal marginal edges of said offset tabs being disposed in overlapped relation to provide a transversely continuous widened handle and to facilitate securing together of the free ends of said tabs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

